In November 2024 Compass Box presented Secrets of Smoke, a kind of upgrade to The Peat Monster. To create this blended malt whiskymaker James Saxon brought together whisky from Laphroaig, Caol Ila, Bowmore, and Ardmore, as well as two of their existing Islay blended malt parcels.
A lot of different cask types are working together here: Palo Cortado, Spanish red wine, Marsala, rec-harred American oak and others. Here’s the entire recipe:
- Ardmore from first-fill sherry hogsheads
- Caol Ila from first-fill Palo Cortado sherry seasoned butts
- The Peat Monster blend from second-fill Spanish red wine casks
- Laphroaig from first-fill Marsala barrique
- Bowmore from refill bourbon barrel
- A Blended Malt parcel from recharred hogsheads
Compass Box Secrets of Smoke (52%, OB 2024, 9792 btl.)
Nose: it’s quite a deep smokiness, warmer than just Ardmore or Caol Ila. Beach bonfire embers, tobacco leaves, hazelnuts and some chocolate, darkened further by a mild sherry influence. It seems quite old, although it may not have a high average age. Some heather honey, roasted almond, dried fig and a hint of seaweed. After a while it settles down and I even pick up flashes of Bowmore’s grilled fruits. Very good so far.
Mouth: herbal and savoury peat smoke, with dark and tarry Laphroaig notes as well as smoked almond, wet soil and iodine. Rather tangy and quite medicinal, with plenty of salty notes, white pepper, flashes of tart citrus, carbolic notes and scorched fragrant herbs. A little cappucino and chocolate towards the end.
Finish: quite long, on earthy peat smoke, seaweed, dark chocolate, salty notes and light hints of blueberries.
Quite a dark and savoury blend, in which it’s still possible to pick up individual distilleries. I’ve tried a few of their latest releases and this one is my favourite so far. It’s hard to fault, except for the fairly high price perhaps – € 140 and more. Available from The Whisky Exchange or Whiskysite.nl for instance.